Cameroon moved a step closer to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after booking their place in the final round of the African qualifiers with a hard-fought victory over Ivory Coast on Tuesday. The Indomitable Lionesses claimed a 2-1 win in a tightly contested encounter, showing resilience and composure when it mattered most.
Playing with determination and confidence, Cameroon struck first through Charlène Meyong, who opened the scoring in the 26th minute. Her goal gave the Lionesses an early advantage and allowed them to control the tempo of the match. However, Ivory Coast responded strongly after the break. Elloh Amon Rebecca leveled the score in the 47th minute, putting the Cameroonian side under pressure and setting up a tense battle for the remainder of the game.
With both teams pushing for a decisive goal, the contest became increasingly tactical and physical. Cameroon eventually found the breakthrough late on when Nchout Njoya Ajara converted a penalty in the 86th minute, sealing the victory and sending the home crowd into celebration. The late goal proved decisive, ensuring Cameroon’s progression to the next stage of the Olympic qualifying campaign.
Head coach Alain Defrasne Djeumfa had anticipated a difficult challenge against the Ivorians and was not surprised by the intensity of the match. Speaking after the game, he acknowledged the quality of the opposition and the closely fought nature of the contest. “It was an important match, a big match. We played against a very good Ivorian team. Nothing was going to be easy in this match. These are two great teams facing each other. Each team had to play to exploit the other’s weaknesses. That’s what happened during this match,” he explained to the daily newspaper Le Jour.
Djeumfa emphasized that preparation, both tactical and psychological, played a key role in the team’s success. He revealed that the players were mentally prepared for every possible scenario, including the prospect of conceding or being tied during the game. “We prepared the girls psychologically. We told them that we could take the lead, that we could be tied at one goal apiece. They then had to find the resources to turn things around. And that’s what they did. We made a few tactical adjustments and everything worked,” he said.
The coach also briefly mentioned the challenges posed by refereeing, noting that home matches often come with difficulties in that regard. Nevertheless, he insisted that the victory was ultimately secured through tactical discipline and mental strength. “The difference was made tactically and mentally,” he concluded.
With this important win, Cameroon now stands just one step away from Olympic qualification. The Lionesses will face Zambia in the final round, where a successful outcome would secure their place at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Determined and confident, the team will look to build on this momentum as they chase their Olympic dream.
